Artemis II astronauts arrive at Florida launch site for first moon trip in 53 years - AP News

The Artemis II astronauts have arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare for launch on a crewed lunar mission, marking humanity's first return to the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. The crew will conduct tests and training on the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft ahead of their scheduled flight. This mission represents a major milestone in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to establish sustained lunar exploration and serve as a stepping stone for eventual Mars missions. The flight will carry astronauts into lunar orbit, where they will conduct experiments and demonstrations before returning to Earth. Success on Artemis II will validate the systems and procedures needed for subsequent Artemis missions planned to land astronauts on the lunar surface.